Loose-leaf binder



0d. z, i923. www3 E. ABERLE LOOSE LEAF BINDER Original Filed oct. 2e, 191e 2 sheetssheet 1 ////////////////////////l Rm @et 2, 1923. 1,469,573 r-:.l ABERLE LOOSE'` LEF BINDER Original Filed OU-t. 26 ,v 1916 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

nui'. 6-

A TTOR/VEYS Patented @et Z, 1923.

Loose-LEAF EDER substitute for appneanm serial Ne.- meneame omver 2e', wie.' Tin'spxtffeii md* Aifii 14j 19221;

serial no'. 552;'550.

To ZZ-whom it 10mg/concern.' n

Be it known that I, Enwnmi nnnnnfn citi/:cn of 'the United States oi`Unerica,` and 'a resident-orn /Ve'st' Nutiey, county (of. Essex, State of NewJersey, bave invent-ed certain' new' and useful Improvements .in LooseLeai' Binders', ofwhichl the Afollowing is a specification.- j 1 l My invention reiatesto loose-leaf binders 1% and has for its object t'o proide' asimple construction in which theI leaves are' readily" inserted in 'and`.re1noved from the bind'er and in` which said" leaves are" eliicietiy" maintained in gcsitifonrtheein. Other kbjects oi" my improvement willn appear freni the description he'einaterand the 'features of novelty will 'be pointed Vout in the appended claims.` c l In the acc'oinpanying"l drawings', which 20, Y "strate several exanip'iesvv of my invention hout defining` yits iinits,y Fignie -l plan view'she'wing one er'ni'of nay iinprbvei' nient in an open position; Fig. 2 is a similar' `4detail `View*partly' "in vsectie-n; 3'-, is a '25 zragrnentaiy, use'c ,io'riai Vie'iif'onfan' eniaigject scale takeiion 'the line 3 3 Of Figil; Y L a fragmentary sectidn also onanene" iai'gred scale en" the line #41912 Fig'. 1;" Fig'. 5 is a vpe'rspectie vievlT oi" one` off'thel binder lelements isf'a pian'view, Witiij 4 parts breken away, illustrating a further `i'fnin of my improvement; `Fig. is" a sectionai viewa on an enlargedscaleg" partly?. broken away and taken on the'iiner Teint. F S; Figi. 8 is a detail edgfe'vijew tbe'reofg' and Fig. 9 isla perspective View cfa binder element included in this foi-In of nifyin-'- Yention. v y I v As shown inv Figs. l to ii'iclusve, my n improvement coinprises a pair et retaining members 15 arranged' in 'alignment with"k each eti er and provided with recesses 16,w Nie onen ends of which peint inwardly iovmrd each otheiy' as Vshewn iny Fig-s. 1 and 2. In the vpreferred arrangement, the bottoni walls et the retaining ineinbers l are extended toward eacbfotheireither iiito coni act or ciese proximity,l or said 'members are connected by means of a continuons ineznber a which iorins the bottornsthereof and extends between the saine. `With-either o I the aboi'e arrangements, the formation of objectionable shoulders which" might inter- Jere with the .readyvoperation of! the device is avoided. i Thev retainingniemberslli and ,55

their 'extended be-ttorn's o1?" continuons mein-A bena, are secured upon. a suitable supprt '17 1n any convenient nianne'r, asbyghi'ng or by means" of rivets lkvh'erebyy the said mer'nbers are'rnai'iitained in their poperTv @o locations and Kin proper* operative position 1n inost'cases; the `suneort lffcoinprise's a' protective co'verzWhichisiconncted by-nieans cfa ba'clrlQ Witha secondl prtectiiife cover, as shoWninFig'sf; 'the'-bac"kl9"myfb a5 free from: or' su'itablyV c0`n1iectedf"with members' 15', it! bein-g undestoodj thattithe".Av cover" 2O is -free tobing i1-nen 'sa'idback l'191' *g n d elt A erl en v one-195 A clamping member 24 exerts a pressure upon the'plurality ofstrips 21 tending to clamp them firmlyY in position, it being understoodY that said clamping member 2a may be omitted and replaced by one or more strips 21 to completely lill the recesses 16 in a vertical direction. u

ln' utilizing this form of my improve-V ment, the leaves `23 are pasted upon Vthe ).iiaps 22, either one or both surfaces of the projecting Vportion of each flap being used for this purpose, ras desired. Tn the pre` ferred form, only the upper surface of each flap vis utilized, in which case the edge' 2lc of eachv strip '21 will serve asa guide against which the edge of the leaf 23 may be placed to properly position thesaid leaf with re spect tothe- `particular strip with whichV it is connected. The attaching of the leaves vmay be readily Vaccomplished by -iirst simply iiioistening the flaps 22 or the edge of the leaf to be Yattached and then pressing the one edgey of the leaves thereon, and may be facilitated'by removing the complete series of strips froin`the retainingmembers l5 as avunit. l This may be ,readily accomplishcdby simply flexing said strips 21 sufficiently to remove .the ends'21a from the recesses 16, it being understood that the "clamping-member 24, if it forms partV of the arrangement, is also removed in a similar manner.- v Y After the leaf or a plurality of wholeseries, including those which have been connected with the leaves, are returned Y to their operative-positions, which may be readilyjaccomplished by first inserting one vend of the series into one recess 15, and then iiexing the whole sutiiciently to permit the other end to be inserted into the other recess 16. The insertion of the ends of the strips into the recessesvl .is facilitated by the yextended bottoms or the continuous y-inember a of the retaining members 15,

will bel obvious. The resiliency or tendency o f the strips 21 tofstraighten out will prop-- erly position the ends 21 in the recesses 1G as soon as the strips are freed from restraint 'or permitted to reflex.

if the clamping member 211 is used, itmay also be returned in place above the series of strips 21 ina similar manner. Tt willbe understood that the described method otreinoving and returning the series of strips as a unit is only an example and thatthe said strips maybe manipulatedv singly, in groups, or other Wise, if this is preferred. Tt `will be further understood that inv all cases the recesses 16 y leaves has or have been attached to the strips, theA Y each other, as illustrated inFig are filled to capacity either with strips 21 alone, or with a series of said strips, plus The iiaps 22,in addition to servingas a strips act asgiillers to main` Ytain allot the 'strips inoperativeposition,

The leaves 23ers iirinlysecured V to leaves or whetheronly one or several of.

means for connecting the strips and leaves, Y

also act as hinges upon which the said leaves may be readily and Vconveniently turned. i.

lt will be apparent that, if desired, the shoulders 2lb may be omitted and the strips 21 made of even width throughout, which case said strips are preferably made inV of such length as to substantially iit ybetween the 'inner gendl wallsi of the recesses 16 y to prevent any substantial lengthwise shifting of said strips in the retaining niembers 15. This latter is,of course, not Vabsolutely necessary, as the recesses liinay simply be `made sufficiently deep, so thatY even ifsaid strips are capable of considerable lengthwise movement, this will never be sufiicient tounint'entionally remove the ends of said strips Yfrom said recesses.; Tt will also be obvious that thestrips may each be combined with twoV leaves lformed by,V

self, the Vflaps 22, in this instance,. being connected with one s ide vof saidfold andV thefold serving as a hinge for one leaf thereof. Y Y Y l In Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, T have illustrated a construction whereby the capacity of the binder may be adjusted to meet varying conditions and in which waste' space is obviated or at least maintained at all .times ata minimum point. As'shown by Way of example in said Figs. 6to 9, the arrangement 4comprises a pair of main retaining members 15c constructed in substantially the saine way as in Fig. 1 and provided with recesses. 16h, the open endsV of which point inwardly toward The ysaid main retaining members 15*c may be rigidly fastened upon a support or protecting cover 17, or they may be detachably secured thereto, as will be more freely described herein` after, and in any case are connected in the form of a unitby means of'a Vconnecting member 19a, preferably comprising` a rightangled strip of metal or other suitable material extending between said VinainL retaining members 15c and forming the backs and bottoms thereof. The said connecting mem ber 19a projects upwardly beyoiidsaid re- Leemans..

taining members 15 and'is turned vinwardly to form a. Harige 19br which extends throughout the length of said connectingzinember 19a, as showninrligflrv.v The-main retaining members 15 are further provided :with upright projections 25 'beni-'fV at1 substantiallyv right angles attheir upper portions toform' V'flanges 26,' the dange 19h' and the 'anges 26' scribed projecting toward each other',I as 'shown in The arrangement' nowbeingd'e?` further includes auxiliary 'retaining'A members .15d havingrecesses lb'andcorresV Fig. 8.

sponding to the main'members 15, said/auxiliary/retaining members 15d, as-jshovvn in Y l? ig. 9,'1being similarly connectedin theV form of a nnit'by means oir a connecting member'- 19c forming the' backs and bottoms ofsaid auxiliary retaining members and which ein' tends abovesaid auxiliary'members 15d, thel projecting lporti'onbeing `formed with a'. llange 19d corresponding to the angel-Qb..

The said auxiliary retainingmembers d are also providedavith upright projections f2.5ar 1 and flanges 26 locatedV and arranged in the v ivy same way j asf: are :the projections 25 and flanges 26 of the main retaining members 152 lnadditiomthe auxiliaryy retaining members 15d are provided with depending:projections 27' formedvithV continuing flanges 28, the latter projecting outwardly" or awayY from each other,as shown in Figs. Sand 9; ln-the preferred arrangement,-the Vprojections v27 are solocated on: .the auxiliary retaining members 15 as 'tofreadily lit between Vthe flanges 19b and26or 1'9l and 26a, while the distance between tlielanges 28 fand the bottoms of the auxiliary retaining members 15d is suchthat the flanges 19h and 26 orA 19di and 26a will lit therein, as will more rfully appear hereinafter. The projections 25and flanges 260i 'sajid main *retainingv members 15c andV the projectionsa and llange's 26, together.

with the projections27 and la'ngesQS'o the auxiliary retaining members, i may y be j con# 'structed in any' suitable manner and preferably are formed as.integralelements'oi the respective retaining members by cutting and shaping portions ofy the latter, as shown vin ll`igj9. u v

Asecond protecting coverQOa is alsoin-v clude'd in the presentform vof my improvement and may be detachably secured in operative position, as will be more fully described hereinafter, in any suitable manner,

as by 'being provided with a locking member Vsame asin the forms or" i members 15 may it Win be understood nier-the method; ofY

connecting and disconnecting .the leaves' in"v the form now being described may be the previously .described-.1

lf ther main retaining members 15 and connecting'members 19a are constructed in the` form 'of unit separate from 'the cover 17%, anysuitable mea-ns may be provided orj detachablyk securingsaid unit to'said cover as, fior instance, by providing a bolt 31 'which passes through suitable openingsfSZ my improvement Ion ,ingniembers 15?` and in the-'cover 17 respectively, as 's'hownin Figs. 7 andV 8, and isi sejcured by a nut 34 which screws upon the eff projectir'i'gV end "of said bolt and y"firmlyl clamps sai-d unit'to said cover.

uwiii, @i u Y course, beunderstood thatthe bolt 31 is of i a ,properlength to `produce this result. ln this; case,

15' either before orv after the latter have been attached tojthe vcover 17. course, understood that said retaining be rigidly .connected with thec'over, if thisshouldrbepreferred.` It' thel capacity or the main'retaining members 15 isw sufficient .to accommodate thenumber of leaves desiredin a particular instance, their the' protecting cover 20 'may 'be at# the leaves 23 may be.det'achablyv connected with the main retaining Amembers It will, ofV A oo A tachedin position by springing the'ends 2? Y of the locking member 29; into said' retainj--' tach'ed,the cover' QOLVwillv restuponfthe angesltll and Qiand will not interfere with f or be interferedwith bythe bolt 31, the head i of the latter' being" located'between the y 'flai'iges'-19b 'and26 an'di'lying: entirely'below the same. ln this case, the binder will com' prise the main retaining members 15C and the two covers 17,a and 20, the backof the binder being lformed by the connecting mem# ber'19a" andY will form an absolutely `complete' device.4 f

of the binder, a secondunit comprising aY ingmembers,Y as willI be apparent from Figyv llt' will bey understood 'that whenso ateV t ynel .Y Y .iur` lf it is desired to increase-'the capa-cityLY pair-fY auxiliary retaining members y175, and

the first unit consisting ofthe main retaining. members 15c and'connecting'strips19a. The second unitv may be' readily and firmly connected withthe first unit bysimply passn Y 'ing the projections 27 between 'the/Ilanges 19bv and 26 and sliding the anges 28 be-v neathv said tlangeslt)b and 26', as shown in Fig. 8, it being understood that the cover 20?L` is first removed by detaching the endsl 29 from the main retaining members V150V.

"lher second unit ma be secured a-Oa'inst sliding movements in the direction. of its lengtlirelatively tothe first unit in any suitable' manner.

iary lretaining member 1514 may be provided with openingsBQav arranged to register with 'a connecting member 19 is combined with` 'For instance, the auxil-' Y insert-ine' provement and that said binder the openings 32 andBS of the main retaining 'meinbei's l5 und cover il, respectively,

and bolts 3l `may be passed therethrough and secured by means of nuts whereby saidiinits are li `iily clamped together.` ln this casel Ythe bolts 3l longer than the bolt 3l previouslT interred to; lt e'addon ot the second unitis suilicient, the Cover 20 may be VattacT theends 29a o che locking; ineintlie recesses 1Gb of the auxiliary retaiiiing` members is` again complete units'. Y

It the capacity A .now includes two ot the binder islstill. in-v suiiieient for the intended purpose, a third auxiliary retaining- Vinemconnected and co-operat-` added upon the seeond accojin'olisned by bers lo? and tliei y Yprojec 2 o: tl e third rn it betw en the ot'tlie second unit and ilaiise i .ofsaid third unit. begies 19d and Q6 of the second he combined vunits may again be sesaid bolts in i hefnuts Se to iirnily @rou-1i oi 'unitstogetlieix .riddicases, clamped toleint paratioii rby bolts 3l ot s' et S i o gth amico-operating' nuts 34, the

f neoted with the retaining ,final l nit lr.' f Y Willbe seen that the retaining inemfeacli succeeding unit rest upon the members .of the iiiglit portions et the *connecting niemliers l9'" and 19,`togetlie Vform a substantially continuous `back 'for the binfder at all times, vwhile the horizontal portions of said mei'nbeis i90 are located between adjacent units7 the horizontal portion of the Vmember i9 restinol upon` tliefcovei 17a. Similarly,

Athe cover 20 rests upon the flaiisres-l)d and 26 out the iinal or terminal unit, While the head o the bolt Si is always located betweeny saidilange's of said terminal unit and thus does not interfere with the positioning and f proper location of said cover 20a. l

l5 will be readily ai'ipaientthat a binder ot capicity may be constructed in a simple manner with' this form of my immay at all times lie n' :finta/ined at capacity in which unused space is kept down to a minimum point and in *which the elements of bulkif ness vand diiiiculty in handling, due to the.

-will be somewhat.

- al capacity lsecured with n ed in position by Y i.

15dv whereby tliel einden `vcover' 2W1 Yandl Vie-f by` passing. bolts]V iiougli the openingsV `s-cuied by adding, units in the Vdescribed mannef,-

20'. iii eachcase lil-ng detaoliabiy con-Y Oes oit the proceding` unit and that thev `presence of Vsuch Waste` space ofttimes present in binders oit relatively large, fixed ca-v pacity, are avoided. i Y

The covers 717il and 20a' are Yboth prefer-` ably scored 'aswndio'ated at 8501' otherwise constructed tov provide f for vthe proper maf nipulation thereof to Aand from anA open por-Vv simon. The slio'uldersQQb `of the looking; ymember29, in (io-.operation `Witlithe retainingmeinbers, at allrtimes and Whatever the numbe'rfof units may `be,maintain,the

relatively to the binden: K it will be understood, cludesv `if the binder. in.` the. illustrated means-.for clampingthe Vimite together, that a series of boltscover 20% against any unintentional shitting 3:, .v

Vorder to properly clamp the-units together, Y itis simply necessary togselect, the bolts of proper length in each instance. ltwill be obvious` howeveiyfthatathis method of damping: the unitstogether is merely anY eX-f to' maintain Vthe units 1in. proper connection with each other.Y y A f l e extendedzbottoni a of the form shown f l et seq and the 'horizontal portions rolf the mtmbersll* andlQc, .in addition to y n serving; as surfaces Whichoguide Fthe differ- ;'ornis-ot binder elements into the, re-

structions. l ,l

ln;v some :cases it crease the strength and rigidity ofthe con,-

or'tothe desired extent and to thus prevent the removal of leaves 237Without detection.

m .o ihis may beaccomplished in any desiredA `ample and that saidV bolts may be replaced. th 'otherA devices accomplishing the; same result and urthen'that in some cases,: trier.;1 ..tionalengagement alone may be relied uponi o,

miningmembers and' avoiding the forma' `ienY of .objectionable shoulder@ also in-,loo

may desired fte-*sealy*Y the binder after it has been filled.' to capacity:

maiiner; .for instance, in theform irst de# scribed, this, result may be obtained byv past-V ing- .or 'otherwise securing that portion of the cover-2O located vbetweenthe point b and the scoring ato the retaining members l5. After this has been done,4 the .cover 20 Will hinge upon the scoring 0 and 1tl Will be impossiole toreineve any of'the'leaves leaves. o l Y Y l'l/iy improvement, in all of its forms, is

Without detectionl or'toradd any additional` extremely simple in construction and open.

iso

i nee cover, va pair of memberslocated` upon said cover in spaced relation and in registryvvith eachV other, said members having recesses facing each other, a plurality of 4binding' strips having theirfoppositeV ends removably located in the recesses of said members, and gummed flaps carried by 'said strips V and "projecting beyond an edge thereof and adapted to beconnected `With leaves Wherebv the latter are removably secured in saidVv binder, said edge of the strips providing an rabutment for an edge-of the vleaves `whereby the latter are properlyr positioned relatively to said Vbinding strips. K l 1 l 2. In a loose-leal binder, a vprotecting cover, a pair of members locatedupon saidY cover in spaced relation and4v in registry with veach other, said `member`s having recesses facing eachv other, ya .plurality of `binding strips having their Vopposite ends removably located in the recesses of said members, and gummed vflaps carried bysaidstrips and adaptedto be connected with leaves Whereby the latter:areremov-ably secured in said binder, said flaps (zo-operating `With said members to prevent any substantial length- Wise movement of said strips in said binder. 3. In a loose-leaf binder, a protecting cover, a pair of recessed members located upon said cover and opening toward eachV other, a plurality of lexible binding strips having their opposite ends located in the recesses of said members and removable therefrom by flexing the strips, and meansA located on said strips for connecting them jivith leaves whereby the latter are removably secured in the binder.

all. In a loose-leaf binder, a protecting cover, a pair of recessed members located upon said cover and opening toward each other, a plurality of flexible binding strips having their opposite ends located in the recesses of said members and removable, therefrom by flexing the strips, means carried by said strips for connecting them With leaves Vwhereby the latter are removably secured in the binder, and a flexible clamping member having its opposite ends located in said recesses between and in. engagement with a Wall thereof and a strip whereby said strips are clamped in operative position.

V5. In a loose-leaf binder, a protecting cover, retaining devices located upon said cover in spaced relation to each other, a plurality' of strips removably conected with said devices and removable'therefrom by flexing saidstrips, said strips being arrang- 1 ed for attachment to leaves'whereby the latter are removably securedin said binder, and a flexible clamping.memberV having at least one of its ends removably connected With said devices and removable therefrom by flexing Vsaid,clamping member, theV latter extending in engagement with the retaining devices anda strip vit/herebysaid strips .are

y,eva

clampedvagainst removal from said devices.

v6. In va loose-leaf binder, a'V protecting cover, a pair of retaining members located upon Asaid cover inspaced relation to each other and adapted toco-operate with bindf ing devices to: removably securey leaves in i said binder, asecond independent `protectingcoveig and means whereby said second cover is detachably connected with each ot said-retaining members." A l 7. Ina loose-leaf binder, a pair of main ,retaining 'members connected together in Y spacedrelatioan toeach' other, a pair of aux- Y iliary retaining membersconencted together in spaced relation to each other Vand arranged to' be vsuperimposed upon 'said main retaining` membcrs,"and means for detach-L ably connecting all of 'saidretaining'members together infixed relation to eachother' to form aunit.

8. In aloose-leat' binder,-a pair of main retaining members connected together' in spacedrelatilo'n'to each other, a pair of auxiliary retaining members connected togetherin spaced relation to each otherand arranged to be superimposed upon said mainretaining 'i members, and cci-operating flanges on said main and auxiliary retaining members whereby 'all' of said members are detachably connected together to form a unit.

9. In a loose-leaf binder, a pair of main retaining members having Vrecesses facing each other, a connectingstrip connecting said members for, maintaining saine in spaced relation, flanges.conencted with and located above said .retaining members, auxiliary retaining members having recesses facing toward each other andresting upon y the `flanges of saidmain members, a 'connecting striprconnecting said auxiliary members for maintaining. same in spaced rela-Y roe tion and-located contiguously to the vconnectingstrip otsaidmain retaining; members, and flanges depending from said'auxilia'ry members andarranged to slidably engage the flanges 'of said main members whereby all .of said members are connectedA strip' of saidp-mainretaining members,

iianges depending `from saidV auxiliary members arranged to slidablyengage the flanges Vor' -said main members whereby' all o'ffsaid members are connected together to-forma Virc ies

vree

unit, and-bolts'passing through said members Where` v a relative sliding movement v thereof is prevented.

ll. in a loose-leaf` binder, afpair of main retaining members having recesses facing each other, a connecting strip connecting Vsaid members for maintaining same in spaced relation, flanges connected with and located above said retaining members, auxiliary retaining members having recesses Y facing toward each other and resting upon the anges of saidmain members, a connecting strip connecting said .auxiliary members for Vmaintaining samev inj spaced relation and located contiguously to the connecting strip of said main retaining members, flanges depending fromrsaid auX- iliaryT members and arranged to slidably engage the flanges of said main members whereby` all of said members are connected together to form' a unit,V bolts passing throughsaid members whereby a relative sliding movement thereof is prevented, an

independent protecting cover, and means leaves are removably secured in said binder, y

said units being located one upon the `'other upon said cover Y and being slidably connected together, means tor locking said units against relative sliding movement,`an independent second protecting cover, and means for detachably connecting said second cover With the terminal unit to complete the binder.

in testimony W my'hand.

ereof I havelhiereu'nto set EDWARD generan. 

